Tom Titmouse or Billy Wren. But he determined that he wouldn't have
old Mother Magpie interfering with his affairs.

"The fact is," quoth Tommy, "I am a society bird, and Nature has
marked out for me a course beyond the range of the commonplace, and
my wife must learn to accommodate. If she has a brilliant husband,
whose success gratifies her ambition and places her in a
distinguished public position, she must pay something for it. I'm
sure Billy Wren's wife would give her very bill to see her husband in
the circles where I am quite at home. To say the truth, my wife was
all well enough content till old Mother Magpie interfered. It is
quite my duty to take strong ground, and show that I cannot be
dictated to."

So, after this, Tommy Oriole went to rather more concerts, and spent
less time at home than ever he did before, which was all that Mother
Magpie effected in that quarter. I confess this was very bad in
Tommy; but then birds are no better than men in domestic matters, and
sometimes will take the most unreasonable courses, if a meddlesome
Magpie gets her claw into their nest.

But old Mother Magpie had now got a new business in hand in another
quarter. She bustled off down to Water-Dock Lane, where, as we said
in a former narrative, lived the old music-teacher, Dr. Bullfrog.
The poor old doctor was a simple-minded, good, amiable creature, who
had played the double-bass and led the forest choir on all public
occasions since nobody knows when. Latterly some youngsters had
arisen who sneered at his performances as behind the age. In fact,
since a great city had grown up in the vicinity of the forest, tribes
of wandering boys broke up the simple tastes and quiet habits which